May 27, 2004
COLORADO SPRINGS, CO -- Two Old Dominion University field hockey greats, Christy Morgan and Pam Neiss Stuper, were among seven athletes that will be the newest inductees in the United States Field Hockey Association Hall of Fame.
Representing the fourth class of inductees into the Hall, the 2004 class includes former USA team members Leslie Lyness, Barbara Marois, Laurel Hershey Martin, Marcia Pankratz, and Patricia Shea, along with Morgan and Stuper.
The seven USA stars are scheduled for induction, June 12 at the U.S. Field Hockey Association Hall of Fame at Ursinus College in Collegeville, Pa.
The new class of inductees helped establish USA Field Hockey's international standing in the 1980s and 1990s, and includes athletes from two Olympic Games, three World Cups and the first Pan American Games tournaments to feature women.
Hall of Fame honorees are selected through a point system with points awarded for each year a candidate athlete competed on the USA National Team . Additional points are earned as a result of selection to Olympic, Pan American Games or World Cup teams. Criteria for selection into the USFHA Hall of Fame is based on achievement as an athlete and/or coach of a USA team, including long-term supremacy, innovation and contributions to the sport. To be considered an individual must have been a member of the USA first team for a minimum of 5 years; and must have been out of competition at the national level for five years. Objective point system takes into account each year a candidate played for, coached, or captained the U.S. national team, the Olympic team an international tournament team or a squad representing the U.S. on an overseas tour.
The newest honorees join 34 current members of the Hall, which also include current head coach Beth Anders, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame back in 1989. Established in 1986, the U.S. Field Hockey Assoc. Hall of Fame held previous induction ceremonies in 1988, 1989 and 1994.
With an aggressive, fearless style, Christy Morgan struck fear in the hearts of international defenders and goalkeepers from 1982-90.
A member of the 1988 Olympic Team, the high-scoring forward gained additional honors as a selection to the 1983 and 1986 World Cup teams and 1987 Pan American Games silver medalist team. She competed in 65 international matches for the United States.
The Norristown, Pa. native graduated from Methacton High School ('81) and Old Dominion Univ. ('86). At Old Dominion, she earned All-America honors in from 1982-84 and earned the Honda Award as the nation's top collegiate field hockey player in 1984. she played on Old Dominion's NCAA championship teams from 1982-84 and was named Old Dominion's Female Athlete of the Year in 1984 and 1985. She is a member of Old dominion's Sports Hall of Fame as well as the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame.
Morgan currently resides in Lithia, Fla. where she owns and directs Circleplay, Inc. as a Life Coach. She is the former head field hockey coach at Davidson College. (2001-02) and James Madison Univ. (1991-00) where she led the Dukes to the 1994 NCAA championship.
Hall of Fame moment: In helping secure the USA's lone point at the 1988 Olympic Games, Morgan scored a second half goal to help the USA to a 2-2 draw with Great Britain. The previous year, Morgan scored four goals in leading the USA to a silver medal finish in the first Pan American Games to feature a women's tournament.
Pam Neiss Stuper
A dedicated defender for the USA team, Pam Neiss Stuper encased a brilliant career within three World Cup appearances from 1990 to 1998.
A native of Lancaster, Pa., Stuper made her first major international appearance at the 1990 World Cup and added a World Cup bronze medal in 1994. She made her final major USA appearance at the 1998 World Cup in Ultrecht, The Netherlands (9th).
Stuper earned additional honors with the USA team at the 1995 Pan American Games (silver medalist) and 1995 Champions Trophy (bronze medalist). She also appeared in the 1997 Champions Trophy (6th). She concluded her career in 1998 with 80 international appearances.
A graduate of Hempfield High School (Landisville, Pa. '88) and Old Dominion Univ. ('92), Stuper earned collegiate All-America honors in 1990 and '91. She was named the Virginia Athlete of the Year in 1992 and competed on ODU NCAA Champion teams in 1988, '90 and '91. She was the ODU Female Scholar Athlete of the Year in 199-92 and a GTE Academic All-American in 1991.
Stuper now resides in Hamden, Conn. and is an assistant field hockey coach at Yale. She previously served on the coaching staff at James Madison Univ. with fellow inductee Christy Morgan during the team's 1994 national championship campaign.
Hall of Fame moment: Appearing in her first major international tournament at the 1990 World Cup, Stuper and the USA defense suffered a crushing 9-0 loss to Korea. "You don't realize the incredible level of play that is going on beyond the college scene," the first-year national team member would later say of the humbling experience. However, Stuper quickly added her name to the World Cup scoring elite a few days later by scoring the USA's only goal in the team's final game against Japan.